January 7: Melbourne Renegades v Perth Scorchers in Geelong
Our XI: Aaron Finch, Sam Harper, Shaun Marsh, Liam Livingstone, Cameron Bancroft, Mitchell Marsh, Beau Webster, Chris Jordan, Matthew Kelly, Fawad Ahmed, Kane Richardson
NOTE: We might not always be able to tip you off about late injury (or other relevant) updates
Captain: Shaun Marsh
Arguably the most in-form batsman across the two sides, despite the Renegades remaining winless after six games this season. Marsh’s strike rate of 120.72 might not load you with points, but the weight of his runs – he’s No. 4 for the season with 233 from six innings – should mean he fires more often than not.
Vice-captain: Liam Livingstone
Consistency hasn’t been Livingstone’s strong suit, but his big-hitting has given the Scorchers blazing starts on the days he has fired. Against a bowling line-up low on confidence, he could well be worth taking a punt on.
Hot picks
Fawad Ahmed
Fawad’s first season with the Scorchers has been a good one so far. Seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.1 means he comes highly recommended.
Aaron Finch
The Renegades captain is under the pump after six successive defeats, but his form hasn’t been a problem, as 191 runs at a strike rate of 134 show. They are at last-chance saloon now, and on a ground he knows well, Finch’s big runs could change the script for the home side.
Kane Richardson
We are at a curious point where the Renegades’ individuals make it to fantasy XIs, while the team continues to lose. Richardson is one of them, with nine wickets at just 6.47 runs per over so far. One of the first names in your XI.
Value picks
Beau Webster: Webster’s form has fallen off since his big-hitting exploits early in the season, but his strike rate of 140.5 and quick-scoring late in the innings still make him a compelling proposition at that price.
Matthew Kelly: Kelly’s right-arm seam has been a bit up and down so far, with a spell of 2 for 22 against the Brisbane Heat the highlight. He makes it to our XI over another spinner purely on the basis of the conditions – the drop-in pitch and the shorter boundaries in Geelong.
Points to note
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There has only been one T20 played in Geelong so far, when the Heat thrashed the Renegades by 101 runs last year. Pace bowlers picked up ten of the 14 wickets that evening, but you don’t want to read too much into that.
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Watch out for news on Ashton Turner’s fitness. He could be a valuable addition to your XI, especially if the Scorchers bat first.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo